#29 - Mission Impossible (1996)
"Excuse me. Mr. Hunt? Would you like to watch a movie?"
I love the first Mission: Impossible. It is one of my favorite spy film of all time. Everything about this movie captivates me from start to finish. Anytime I watch a Brian De Palma film, I find them infinitely rewatchable, and this one is no exception.
The first Mission: Impossible is based on the popular late '60s TV show of the same name. This film acts as a soft continuation/reboot of the series, with a twist: the original show's main character, Jim Phelps, is now the villain in this soft reboot. The story follows Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) as he is framed during a mission gone wrong, leaving his entire team dead. Blamed as the traitor, Hunt goes on the run to clear his name and find the real culprit. The heist missions, putting a team together, gadgets, and mask pulls (Although this originated in from Russia with Love). All of the DNA of the series can be traced back to this first entry.
The initial mission sequence, where Hunt’s team is killed off one by one, is absolutely shocking on a first viewing. Watching Hunt scramble in disbelief as everything unravels sets the stage for an action-packed thriller.
One standout moment comes shortly after, when Hunt sits across from Kittridge (Henry Czerny) and slowly realizes he’s being accused of being the mole. The panic and tension in this scene are palpable, enhanced by De Palma’s use of low camera angles that make the conversation feel claustrophobic and intense. It’s an incredible performance by Cruise, and the scene establishes the paranoia and stakes that define the film.
While the later Mission: Impossible films focus more on action spectacle, this first installment leans heavily into its thriller elements. De Palma’s direction elevates the story with stylish flare, such as his signature use of the split diopter, which makes many shots both memorable and visually striking.
If I had to nitpick, I’m not the biggest fan of the CGI-heavy train and helicopter sequence at the end. While it’s not perfect, it still delivers a satisfying conclusion to an otherwise spectacular action-adventure film.
The Langley heist to retrieve the NOC list is easily one of the most iconic action set pieces of all time. The sweat-inducing tension as Hunt dangles inches from the ground, flailing his arms, has become a defining moment in cinema history.
Of course, no discussion of Mission: Impossible would be complete without mentioning Danny Elfman’s fantastic score. The iconic theme is unforgettable, it’s seared into your brain. It’s one of the greatest film scores of all time, perfectly complementing the film’s energy and tone.
The first Mission: Impossible is a near-perfect action-spy thriller that introduced the world to Ethan Hunt.
It’s the film I find myself revisiting the most in the series—and for good reason.
4/4.